Excerpt

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 41 A Busy Night

Cole landed awkwardly, falling face flat on the horse's back. His face hurt at the collision, and he could feel the stallion moving beneath him, too fast for him to control. The wind hurled at his hair, raising it to its highest point.On top of the horse, in that fearsome speed, he slowly raised his head up but was soon forced to close his eyes as the harsh wind burned his eyes. However, on second thought the boy quickly snapped his eyes open again as he realized there was no rider on the horse. And his father who had been riding the stallion was nowhere in sight.The young lad's heart beat at what that meant, and he wanted to look back to confirm if his father was behind him or if something else had happened to him, but at the speed, they were galloping he knew he could risk falling off the horse as he wasn't in a comfortable position—yet. So he grabbed hold of the horse's mane and struggled forward.With hi

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 40 Memories

Her hair was drawn back from her face, exposing her high cheekbone. It must be the work of her lady's maid. Cole mused. Considering how short it was, it must have taken a lot of time, and pins to thrust it up in that updo. Cole frowned in the next second as something occurred to him. Now that he thought of it, he had never seen Emily with any lady's maid. Not here, nor at Durham, when he had picked her up from her brothers' manor after their marriage. If he was to recount back to that time, she hadn't travelled with any too. Which was strange? Women he knew wouldn't even think to do anything by themselves, let alone travel by themselves. What was even strange was how he was only noticing it now? He prided himself on being observant, but he had to admit this one had slipped past him. Of course, he could excuse his behaviour by saying he had been blinded by his anger at the time and had not given a fig or two about whom she travelled with

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 39 Something Familiar

THAT NIGHT Emily wore the most seductive gown Cole had ever had the misfortune to see on her person. In a flash, he was on his feet. Not because society would demand it. But because he found himself staring at her in awe and astonishment as she accepted a chair from the footman, sat down and placed her napkin on her lap. Barely sparing him any glance. It was all for the best, Cole thought as he let his eyes roam off her face. Giving them access to roam freely on her body, resting on the smooth curve of her neck and then the rounded top of her breast. Gad! Cole thought. Wasn't that a little too exposed? Following their hot argument, they had maintained their separate distance; they had barely seen each other until now. Cole hoped she had forgiven him. Because he felt bad as it is. And that kiss at his study, he was yet to figure out what it meant.Glancing down at his food, Cole wondered if he should be eating her or his

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 38 Verbal War

“You left me at the manor!” Emily complained. It was remarkable how that sounded like an accusation. In fact, it was indeed an accusation. Cole straightened in his chair. “I should expect you to know why?”“Because you think I trapped you?” she scoffed.His eyes narrowed. “You did trap me, but what I have failed to understand is how you managed to do so.Gritting her teeth, Emily leaned forward. His eyes were narrowed. “If I recall correctly. It was my brothers who forced your hand, and not me.”“Oh please, do stop hiding behind your brothers back and own up to what you have done. You did entice me with the prospect of lips that haven't been kissed before, all the while bidding your time for when your brothers or anyone for that matter would find us. How long did you have to keep me entertained before they arrived? Twenty minutes, thirty minutes? At least tell me I lasted long enough for them

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 37 The One With The Upper Hands

FAIR EYELIDS fluttered at the belabouring clanking coming from the other room.A banging, thumping sound that irritated Emily to the core, causing her to toss and turn on her bed wishing she could escape it, but no matter how much she tried to or even covered her ears with a fluffy pillow, the sound still burrowed into her subconscious, irritating her until such a time when she couldn't take it any more.Angrily, Emily flung the covers from her body, sitting up in one flash. Her short blond tresses were dishevelled. Her face marred with a deep, deep frown. She turned to her side where her husband had slept last night and noticed he had already roused and gone. Judging by the huge dip on the bed. He must not have been gone too long. Emily raised a hand to her head, wincing as the pounding started again. That clank and bang sound that whizzed as if things were being knocked apart.However, what she didn't understand was why it sounded

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 36 Taken Unawares

As they cut across another corner, Emily made one more attempt. Hugging his neck and wriggling around, trying to slip from his arms. She succeeded for a while, but he soon heaved her up again, holding her tighter than before. She could taste defeat in her mouth but wasn't willing to admit it yet. Within her mind, she searched for solutions. She raked it for any way to extricate herself from this humiliating position, and in that silence realized she had been unconsciously staring at her husband's buttocks while thinking. A blush rose to her cheeks, and soon whatever scheme Emily had been hatching was temporarily forgotten as she stared shamelessly at Cole's buttock which she realized was tantalisingly close to her eye level. If she reached out her hand just so and touched it what would it feel like? The young woman wondered. But did she dare? Emily bit her lips, contemplating.They had already walked for a while wh

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 29 Irking One's Husband.

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 28 There Are Many Ways To Cross An Ocean

IT'S BEEN EXACTLY one hour since Cole saw his worst nightmare come to life. There were more people in his home than he cared to have. As if the number of guests in Tonfield hall wasn't enough, Emily had to go and invite more.The bloody amateur actors and professionals currently

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 27 With Me Or Against Me

The sun was yet to rise in the morning, and the day was slowly turning bright when Cole stirred in his bedchamber. His eyes resting on the canopy above his bed and for a moment or two, he forgot where he was. But it took only a few moments for his eyes to adjust, and he rem

Not Your Average Countess   Chapter 26 The Lake III

SECONDS LATER, a young man arrived with a woman in tow. Emily didn't have to look twice to know who it was. 'Twas her brother Lucas. Behind her, she felt her husband stiffen. And that wasn't the only thing stiffened. She could feel the hard part of hi